Written by on Nov 26, 2014. Posted in On Location

Avengers and Star Wars boost Pinewood Studios film production

Pinewood Studios has revealed a 15% increase in profits from film production in the UK in the six months to the end of September. Star Wars: The Force Awakens was the biggest shoot at Pinewood and The Avengers: Age of Ultron was the largest at Shepperton.

Stage occupancy increased to an average of 86% for the period, an increase of nearly 15% on the previous year, the Interim Report states.

“These results reflect continued growth operationally and strategically for the long term,” said Pinewood Shepperton CEO Ivan Dunleavy: “I am delighted the company continues to make such positive progress notwithstanding the pressures in the wider economy.”

The new James Bond film is scheduled to shoot at Pinewood soon and Disney/Lucasfilm will also bring Star Wars 8 to the site in 2015.

Pinewood plans to start work early next year on its major new development plan, which was finally authorised this summer. A design for the first stage is being considered by local authorities.

In the US, Pinewood’s new studio facility in Atlanta has moved into its second phase of development, which will include building five additional sound stages. The Atlanta site is currently hosting Marvel’s superhero feature Ant-Man and is likely to welcome Captain America: Civil War in 2015.

Georgia has become one of the top production centres in the US, partly because of a generous filming incentive of up to 30%. Long-running zombie drama The Walking Dead is based in the city and several high-profile features have also filmed locally. One of Georgia’s main ongoing challenges is to build its crew pool to better cater for the increasing demand.